Automobile safety device.



S. NE-WBURGER.

AUTOMOBILE SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1911.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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ATTORNEYS s. NEWBURGER. AUTOMOBILE SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. I91]- I 1 ,137,51 9. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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ATTORNEYS s'rnrnnn nnwrunesn, or new. Ya N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE sernrv nnvrcn To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN Nnweunenn, a citizen of'the United States, and a resldent of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Imof which and exact deproved Automobile Safety Device, the following is a full, clear, scription. I

"My invention relates to a new and improved form of automatic safety device, and is articularly adapted for automobiles. 7 object of my invention is to prevent tampering with the. mechanism of the machine, and to render difficult the starting of the same by unauthorized persons. It quite frequently'happens in cranking an automobile, that the ignition circuit is closed with the starting lever in operative position, caus ing the vehicle to move [as soon as it is cranked, thereby endangering the operator.

1 attain the above outlined object by concircuit in series with necting the ignition some ofthe operating mechanisms, so that it will be impossible to complete the circuit through thespark plugs, unless all of the actuating mechanisms are in their normal positions.

. tive view of one Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,

th fig res, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showinga portion of the body of an automobile with a preferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a detached perspecof the brake control pedals showing a circuit closer applied thereto; Fig.- 3 is a sectional view showing a: form of circuit closer adapted to be positioned on the arc plate carrying the actuating levers;

. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the form of cir Y cuit closeru sed on the steering wheel, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticview, partly in perspective, showing the ignition circuit attached to the different mechanisms.

Described more in detail, I have shown an automabile A, having a steering column B actuated by a steering wheelC, projecting upward from thedashboard D of which automobile extends a pair of pedals, one, a

dal

clutch pedal E -and the other, a brake pe the side of the automobile,

F. Mounted on I Specification of-Lettersratent.

i is a'segment' plate G, to

forming a part of this speci-' fication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall which 1s. pivoted a speed lever H and a brake lever J. The automobile carries within the hood thereof, aninternal combustion engine, bustion chambers of which are ignition plugs K energized by some suitable source of electric energy L. All of these parts are arranged as .is usual with automo biles now in general use.

' Referring'more particularly to Fig. 5, I have shown an ignition circuit which is grounded on the automobile. Starting from the cylinder of the engine carried by the framework, thereignition plugs--K. Extending from each spark plug to the source of electric energy L and leading from said source is a conductor 7 forked at 8, to form a conductor 9, which last named conductor is bifurcated at 10, one

is formed the customary spark gap at the Patented Apr. 27,1915. Application filed December 22, 1911. Serial No. 667,363.

inthe com-- disposed is a suitable conductor 6 leading metallic framework of the arm 11 of which extends to a location in uxtaposition to the speed leverH the other arm'12of which is similarly positioned relative to the brake lever J. Each of the arms 11 end 12 leads to one end of a broad'headed button (see Figs. 1 and 3') disposed transversely adjacent the arc of the segment plate G and is maintained in the projected position by means of a compression pin 14:. The head 15 of this button is disposed in the line of movement of the lever H on the opposite side of the segment plate in line with the lever J, soithat the actuation of the'lever will complete the ignition circuit to. ground the same on the framework of the vehicle.

' When the vehicle is not in use, the circuit closers attheends of the. conductors 11 and.

.12 are so disposed relative to the speed lever H and biake lever J, that a circuit is completed at these points only'when the speed lever is at its neutral point andthe brake lever is in position with the brake applied. It will be noted-by the above outlined construction, that any movement of th e' levers H and J from the position at which they are placed when the operator leaves the machine, will break the ignition circuit, and on attempting to crank the machine, the attention of the operator will be called to the fact that said levers have been moved (if such is the case) and it will be necessary for .him to apply the brake and to place the starting lever in its neutral position before it is possible for him to explode the charge in the combustion chambers of the engine.

When running the machine, happens that the operator loses control of the same, or in case of an -accident, it frequently happens that the explosions continue. To avoid this, I so arrange the ignition circuit that it will be normally open and is closed in the act of operating the machine. VVit-h this end in view, I have shown two sets of circuit closers, one set disposed on the pedals E and F, and the other set disposed in the steering wheel of-the machine. Described more in detail, I have placed on each of the pedals E and F, a broad face spring foot-plate 16 normally disposed out of con tact with the pedals E and F and connected with said pedals by means of an insulated plug 17. The plates 16 are in circuit by means of conductors-18, with a conductor 19 connected to the conductor 7 at the fork 8. The conductor 19 leads to a pin 20 (see Fig. 4) disposed in the lower half 21 of the two-part'steering wheel C. The top of the pin 20 is formed into a contact head 22 adapted to contact with a similarly-constructed head 23 depending from the upper half 24 of the wheel C, the contacting plates 22 and 23 being normally maintained in spaced-apart position by means of a suitable spring 25. The circuit is completedthrough the upper half 24 to the framework of the machine. It is to be understood from Fig. 5, that the representation of the ground is intended to indicate the framework of the machine or similar ground wire or conductor. It will be seen that by this arrangement, the actuation of the lever J will place the brakes in non-operative position, and in moving the speed lever to its different speed positions, the circuit is broken through these members, and it is necessary for the operator to either grasp the wheel C, to bring the leads 22 and 23 into contact, or to press on the clutch pedal E or brake pedal F, in order to complete the ignition. he should release the pressure on all of these points, the circuit will be broken and the engine will, of course, cease running.

One feature of my invention contemplates, broadly, the provision of means, involving an electric cut out or switch directly included in the ignition circuit, to prevent the explosive engine of an automobile from being started when the engine is operatively connected with the vehicle drive .wheels to propel the vehicle in either direction, whatever power or mechanism may be employed to turn over or crank the engine, and whatever devices may be employed in the automobile for throwing the engine into and from operative driving connection with said wheels, and whether or not such devices be operated or controlled by hand, foot, or other power. Y

it frequently If, for any reason,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A safety device for automobiles, comprising a normally open ignition circuit, and means for closing saidcircuit, said means controlled by the speed lover'of the automobile at its neutral point and by the brake lever of the automobile at its position applying the brakes, so that if the brakes are in non-operative position or the speed lever is in operative position, the circuit is open. a

2. A safety device for automobiles, comprising a normally open ignition circuit, means for closing said circuit, said means controlled by the speed lever of the automobile at its neutral point and by the brake lever of the automobile at its position applying the brakes, and mechanism independent of either of said levers, by means of which said circuit may be closed.

. A safety device for automobiles, comin said circuit and affording means for closing said circuit when said plates are pressed into engagement with said pedals.

5. A safety device for motor vehicles comprising a normallyopen ignition circuit on which the motor vehicle engine is started, manually controlled motor vehicle brake mechanism, and means for closing said circuit so that the engine can be started thereon, said means being actuated to close said circuit by and when said mechanism is in brake applying adjustment only. 1

' 6. motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and manually controlled means for preventing propulsion of the vehicle by the engine, and an ignition circuit, on which the engine is started, said ignition circuit being controlled by a normally-open switch included directly therein, said switch being controlled by said manually controlled means to close said ignition circuit when said means is in adjustment to prevent propulsion of the vehicle.

In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, mechanism whereby the propulsion of the vehicle by the engine can be prevented comprisinga foot lever, and a ranged on said lever and closed by the pressure of the foot on said lever.

8. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a member moved by the driver in operating the vehicle, an ignition ci cuit on which said engine operates after being started, said circuit including an automatically opening switch carried by said member and arranged to be necessarily closed by the driver of the motor vehicle in moving said member when operating said vehicle, whereby said ignition circuit will be automatically broken should the driver lose control of or be thrown from the vehicle.

9. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and manually controlled means including a movable member on which the driver of the vehicle must apply pressure in moving the same to operate the vehicle, and an ignition circuit on which said engine operates after being started, said circuit including a switch directly connected therein and constantly tending to assume open position to break said circuit, said switch. being positively moved by said member to autiomatically close said circuit by the manua pressure of the driver in operating said vehicle and to automatically open when said pressure is relieved.

10. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and vehicle controlling mechanism including a manually moved member, an ignition circuit on which said engine operates after being started, saidcircult provided with a' switch directly included therein and constantly tending to assume open positionto break-the circuit, said switch being so arrangedwith respect to said mechanism as to be manually held engine is started,

closed by the pressure of the driver on said member 'when operating the vehicle.

11. In a motor vehicle having an explosive engine, transmission mechanism, shifting devices therefor for operatively connecting the engine to drive the vehicle and for throwing thesame out of. operative vehicle driving connection, an ignition circuit on which said and automatic means for preventing the starting of the engine when the engine is connected to drive the vehicle comprising an electric switch or cut out directly included in said circuit and mechanically connected with and positively moved by said devices to opened and closed positions, to automatically close said circuit and render thersame operative when the engine is not connected to drive the vehicle andto automatically break said circuit and render the same inoperative when the engine is connected to drive the vehicle.

12. In a motor vehicle having an explosive engine, an ignition circuit for said engine and on which the same is started, transmission mechanism, shifting devices therefor comprising a speed lever, and automatic means to prevent said engine from being started when operatively connected to drive the vehicle comprising an out out for and directly included in said circuit and mechanically and directly connected to and operated by said-lever to assume closed position only when said lever is in neutral position.v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN NEWBURGER.

Witnesses:

W. S. ORTON,

PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

electric switch or 

